Tag: Trade Show Tips

7 Tips for Driving More Traffic to Your Trade Show Booth

After you determine the right trade shows to attend for your business, it’s time to hone in on the actual trade show booth and how you plan to stand out against the crowd. The competition can get stiff at the exhibit hall, especially in bigger trade shows with thousands of other exhibitors. So, let’s focus on how you can keep a steady stream of attendees coming your way.

Here are 7 tips for driving more traffic to your trade show booth:

Visuals and Illustrations

Humans are biologically visual creatures, which means: colors, moving graphics, and overall beautiful imagery will get people excited about your booth. Even if your industry is not visual in nature, find a way to make it visual at the trade show.

Charging Station

Everyone loves a good charging station for their mobile device. If you include a complementary charging station as part of your booth, it’s an easy way to get attendees to come by and see your service or product while they pause to recharge their phones.

Giveaways

Who doesn’t love free things? If you host a raffle or a giveaway contest periodically throughout the show, you’re basically guaranteed to have steady leads coming your way all day long.

Photo Booth

Thanks to the popularity of Instagram, everyone wants to take photos today. Having a photo booth at your exhibition space will get attendees to come over and take a fun photo. Afterward, they will be more inclined to inquire about your product or service offering.

Demos

People would rather watch a product in action than read 5-pages about it. So, have constant demos occurring at your space, making them as lavish as you possibly can. “Put on a show” to get attendees excited about what you are offering.

Social Interaction

Create some kind of contest where you give attendees a prize if they “check-in” to your booth or leave a review on social media. You’ll be getting something in return, and the attendees will be getting something for free.

Mascot

No one is above a good mascot. If your company has a mascot, like Geico’s gecko, have someone there dressed up and cheering everyone else on. Consider playing some fun music that makes the entire booth feel welcoming and happy!

There’s no way to sugarcoat it — the competition can be stiff at trade shows. If you want to ensure you stand out against the crowd, no matter how many other flashy booths are out there, then follow these 7 creative ideas, go the extra mile, and make a lasting impression.

How to Choose the Right Trade Show

There are thousands upon thousands of trade shows that take place not only in the U.S., but throughout the world. Selecting ones that are right for your niche can be hard, especially when costs are factored into the equation. You only have so much time and money that you can spend on trade shows — which is why there can be a lot of pressure behind your final decision.

Here is a quick guide for identifying trade shows that are the right fit for your business:

Audience

Who is your ideal buyer? Your ideal investor? Are they millennials? Are they established Baby Boomers? Men or women? If you are trying to target a younger crowd, going to a trade show in a big metropolis, like New York City or San Diego, is basically guaranteed to get you in front of millennials. But, if you are targeting an older crowd with more established roots, then bigger and more conventional trade show centers (in places like Orlando) might be better suited for you.

Intent

What is your ultimate goal at a trade show? Do you want to increase leads and sales? Strengthen relationships with customers? Raise awareness for your brand? Depending on your end goal, you might want to consider different sizes of trade shows. If you just want awareness, then massive trade shows can get your name out there. But, if you want a few intimate leads, consider a smaller, more targeted and more exclusive trade show.

Event History

You will be taking a chance on a newly established trade show; although, one benefit is that you can probably negotiate a good deal with newer trade shows. For all other, more established shows, make sure to check out their history. Here are some topics to research before committing to a trade show:  Did the show organizer invest a sufficient money and effort into advertising the trade show? How long have they been around? On average, how many people attend their shows? …This is all free information you can aggregate before you decide.

Budget

If you are on a tight budget, then not every trade show is going to work for you. Sometimes, you might even have to pick based on timing of the trade show. There is a discount window when trade shows first announce their dates – you might find yourself simply basing your decision on the trade show dates to ensure you align the discount window with your budget.

Yeah, there can be a lot of trade shows to choose from. Don’t feel overwhelmed. Take your time; use the guidelines above; do your research; find the trade shows that are the right fit for your business.

Good luck, and Godspeed.